Beyond the Beach: Experiences You Can Only Have In Maldives

The Maldives and the Philippines are geographically similar in many ways. Both island nations are tropical, and archipelagos found just a bit north of the equator. Both are also rich in marine life and are ideal for beach vacations and water-based sports.

The addition of amenities like the Maldives-style bungalows of the internet-famous Huma Island resort may lead you to believe that there’s little difference between a vacation at our local beaches and one spent in Maldives.

In the spirit of breaking stereotypes, we’ve listed five unique activities you can only try in the Maldives.

#1: Board a submarine for an undersea wildlife “safari”

The various marine species, underwater formations, and shipwrecks in the waters around Maldives have made it one of the world’s diving and snorkeling meccas.

If you prefer to stay dry, you can experience the beauty of the Indian Ocean through a submarine tour instead, courtesy of organizations like Whale Submarine Maldives.

Sure it will cost you, but you’d need to spend as much to rent diving or scuba gear anyway.

#2: Go clubbing below sea level

Photo courtesy of Niyama

No, you won’t actually be in the water. Subsix is an underwater nightclub that’s part of the Niyama Private Islands Maldives, located 500 meters off the shore of the resort’s private islands. Like its clever name suggests, the entire club is six meters below sea level.

After a 15-minute speedboat ride from Niyama and a three-tier staircase descent, you can enjoy live music from the night’s DJ, enjoy one of the house’s signature cocktails, have dinner, and admire the themed decor (we especially love the anemone-like chairs) against a backdrop of a colorful coral garden and deep-ocean fish.

They also hold the mysterious “Underwater Glow Party” starting 9:00 PM on Wednesdays and Saturdays!

#3: Release all your stress on an immersive Yoga & Spa Retreat

One of the main reasons people travel all the way to Maldives is to relax and retreat from the business of the outside world, and the locals don’t disappoint.

Inbound tour company Secret Paradise hosts a regular Maldives Yoga and Spa Holiday at the Barefoot Eco Hotel on Hanimadhoo Island. It’s a four-day retreat at the Barefoot, complete with accommodations, daily yoga sessions, and complimentary spa treatments like a 50-minute Hot Stone massage.

#4: Snap a new profile picture at “The World’s Most Instagrammable Hotel”

Over-water villas | Photo courtesy of Anantara

It’s official! In March 2018, the Anantara Kihavah Maldives won Luxury Travel Advisor’s first “Most Instagrammable Hotel in the World” contest! It’s a well-deserved win for a hotel whose photos have become near-synonymous with the ultimate Maldives vacation.

Anantara is located on a separate island within the Baa Atoll, a protected UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. It’s composed of 80 much-reviewed luxury villas, and gained even more fame for their Sea-Fire-Salt-Sky chain of restaurants and open-air Sky bar and lounge.

Have your photo taken while lounging on one of the beachside recliners or the iconic long boardwalk that stretches from the beach to the over-water pool villas. Add in one of Maldives’ famous sunsets to make it legendary!

#5: Try your hand at Catamaran sailing

While “catamaran” sounds like the Filipino word for laziness, a catamaran in Maldives is a spacious two-hulled sailboat. The sound of a sailboat adventure should be enough to get your lazy ass off your seat!

Catamaran sailing is popular Maldivian pastime because of the need for transportation from island to island, and because the craft’s build makes it an ideal mobile base for divers, deep-sea swimmers, and dolphin-watching tourists alike!

Catamarans range from the large, day-trip appropriate cruisers to smaller, minimum-crew vessels. If sailing is something you’ve always liked to try, hire a guide or local to help you rent a boat for a day and show you the ropes!

Want to win an all-expense paid trip to Maldives, complete with two free days of tours?

Our hassle-free, all-expense paid travel package for Maldives is up for grabs this May! We’ve got you covered from VISA application to hotel booking and itinerary planning, so just pack your bags and you’re ready to go!

Keep using your Maya throughout the month of May 2018 to earn raffle entries: